New language lab offers computers

By Kai Tao

The MIT Language Laboratory has been relocated, renamed, expanded and
upgraded. The Foreign Languages and Literatures section of the Department
of Humanities moved the lab two weeks ago, from its former location in the
basement of Building 14 to a wing in Building 20-C recently renovated for
this purpose.

The wing now houses an audio lab, video lab, two classrooms, offices, and
a student lounge. To reflect the upgrade in equipment and facilities, the
lab, which until recently consisted simply of audio machines, has been
renamed the Language and Research Center.

The lab had already begun expanding by purchasing video and computer
equipment, but in the process, it quickly outgrew its existing facilities.
The recent move and expansion was made possible with the help of MIT and a
Hayden grant.

"The opening of the new Language Center serves as the culmination of the
many years of concerted effort put in by Project Athena, the MIT faculty,
and the students to promote the learning of foreign languages," Ruth
Trolymere, the center's director, said.

"We here at the Language Center are dedicated towards that effort, and
hope that the students will take advantage of the resources available," she
added. Use of the lab is not restricted

to students in foreign language classes.

Interactive computer programs

offer new ways to learn

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One aspect of the new center which may be most appealing to students,
according to Matthew D. Mattingly, technical assistant in the Foreign
Languages and Literatures section, is the video lab -- which recently began
to offer interactive video programs as another means of teaching foreign
languages.

The video lab now consists

of three Macintosh II computers which are connected to Pioneer laser disk
players. Students can use the computer to respond to stories on laser disk.

By answering questions and reading maps, a student determines the outcome
of a story -- whether it has a happy or sad ending. Presently, this
interactive environment has only been developed in French and Spanish, but
similar programs are being developed in German and Japanese.

The French program, "Philippe," features a character of the same name.
Students use everyday French phrases to complete the game, whose object is
to help Philippe win back his girlfriend and find a new place to live.

Philippe's Spanish counterpart is known as "No Recuerdo" ("no memory").
It tells the story of

a scientist who has forgotten

his identity. Remembering only a piece of his past life, the scientist must
find out who he is, since he is the only one who knows a secret formula.

Once again, the outcome of the story is determined by the student's
knowledge of the language and his choices. The stories were written by MIT
French Lecturer Gilberte M. Furstenberg and Spanish Lecturer Douglas
Morgenstern, and the software was developed by Project Athena.

In addition to the Macintosh computers, the Language Center has a VAX
workstation which runs software for students studying English as a second
language. The purpose of the station is to help ESL students differentiate
similar-sounding English words. When a word is displayed on the screen, the
student repeats it into a microphone, and then the computer responds to the
accuracy of the pronunciation.

The Language Center will also be installing a satellite dish to pick up
foreign programs and broadcast them in the classrooms and student lounge.
In addition, the foreign music collection will be expanded.

Though the Language Center has already opened, the official grand opening
will be held in January, after the center receives 10 IBM PS/2 Model 70s,
which will serve as the center's Athena cluster. The PS/2s will also be
connected to more laser disk players to facilitate use of the interactive
environment.